In a generation of women who seek to "have it all," Molly Reil decided to make her children her primary focus.
"Raising my kids will be my biggest accomplishment," said Reil, 23. "I don't feel like there's anything better I could do with my life."
Reil married her husband, John (Jingles) on May 31, 1997. Since then, she has had two sons, Johnny, 2, and Chris, 3 months.
She said that at times throughout her marriage, it would have been financially easier if she had a job to supplement her husband's income.
However, she chose to remain at home.
"I'm willing to sacrifice money for the happiness of my children," Reil said. "You can always make do with what you've got. If you have a lot of money, you'll spend a lot of money. If you don't have a lot, you won't spend a lot."
She said she feels it is her responsibility to rear her children.
"I figure if you're going to have kids you should raise them," she said. "You shouldn't have somebody else do it for you."
The Reil family has lived on different ranches from Carson City to Ely, some in remote areas. But Reil said she is happy with her situation.
"I love it. For one thing, I grew up that way so it was sort of instilled in me," she said. "I think that it's really good for kids to learn the simple things in life and not get caught up in the worldly stuff. They learn the joy of family and the meaning of love."
Her husband said he has already seen the joy a family can bring.
"She's a good wife and a good mother," he said. "I couldn't ask for anyone better."
Reil said a typical day for her begins around 5 or 5:30 a.m. with Chris' morning feeding.
She showers and Johnny wakes up around 7 a.m.
If everything goes well in the morning, she will help her husband with the ranch duties of the day. However Chris has to be breast fed every two hours.
"I try to just plan around his feedings," she said. "If Jingles is feeding (the cattle) when Chris needs to eat, I just feed him, then help Jingles."
She said Johnny is also starting to help out.
"Johnny's actually a big help. He gets jealous sometimes but he likes to get diapers and stuff," Reil said. "I try to spend individual time with him so he won't feel left out."
Chris was born Christmas Eve in the shower, about one month before he was due.
At the time, the Reils were living on a ranch in Spring Valley, east of Ely, but were in Carson City visiting relatives for the holiday. They had decided earlier that she would give birth at home.
She said she went shopping earlier that day and had some pre-labor pains. By 3:30 a.m. she was having contractions.
"I woke up Jingles and said, 'Jingles, the baby is coming.' He said, 'What do you want me to do?'" she said.
She suggested they go shopping.
"We didn't have anything," she said. "All of our stuff was in Spring Valley because I wasn't supposed to have him until January."
So, they left Johnny with his grandparents and they went to Wal-Mart at 4 a.m.
"We bought all the necessities as far as diapers, clothes and blankets," Reil said.
They returned home, she got in the shower and Chris was born at 5:45 a.m.
"I would do it again," she said. "I would have my baby at home again."
However, she said it will be a couple of years before the next one. And this time, she's hoping for a girl.
